Removable keel block



Oct. 3, 1967 w, E THOMPSON ET AL 3,344,613 I REMOVABLE KEEL BLOCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 14, 1965 r INVENTORS 14 E THOMP50N AN 0.

B.G5/MM 0/95, DECEASED 5g HGS/MMON s, EXECUTOR Oct. 3, 1967 w, THOMPSQN ET AL 3,344,613

REMOVABLE KEEL BLOCK I Filed July 14, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS M{{.7 HOMP50N AND .5.a5/MMO/V8, 0505/1550 499/7. 915/44 M o N5,XECUTOR ATTORNEY Oct. 3, 1967 w, E o so ET AL 3,344,613

REMOVABLE KEEL BLOCK I Filed July 14, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS W7H0MP50N AND 3 1 BGS/MMO Vs, DECEASED Z: romw 1' 3/ 32 fi hfgslM/wo/vs, ExEcuroR United States Patent 3,344,613 REMOVABLE KEEL BLOCK William E. Thompson, 2159 Emogene St., Mobile, Ala. 36606, Bowie G. Simmons, deceased, late of Dauphin Island, Ala., by Horace G. Simmons, executor, 1166 S.

Skyland Circle, Mobile, Ala. 36609 Filed July 14, 1965, Ser. No. 472,064 1 Claim. (CI. 6166) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A keel block forming one of a number of supports for a ship in dry dock, which is capable of being readily extended or retracted vertically for moving the keel block into or out of supporting engagement with a ships keel, to enable adjustment of the position of the block longitudinally of the keel to facilitate work being performed on the hull, the keel block being raised by a fluid actuated jack.

This invention relates to a keel block adapted to form one of a number of corresponding supports for a ship, to maintain the ship high enough above the deck of graving and floating dry docks so that workmen may maintain, renew or repair the bottom of a ship which is thus supported.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a keel block which may be quickly removed from beneath the keel of a ship, so that work can be performed on a portion of the hull or keel previously engaged by said keel block, after which the keel block can be readily replaced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a keel block which, when utilized with other corresponding keel blocks, will eliminate the costly procedure of shifting the ship on blocks, as is now common practice, to expose all surfaces to enable a complete cleaning, sand blasting and painting of the bottom of a ship to be accomplished.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, showing the keel block and a jack for use therewith;

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary end elevational view, partly in section, and on an enlarged scale, looking from right to left of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 55 of FIGURE 4, and including additional structure not illustrated in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an end elevational view of the detachable block adjusting jack looking from left to right of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 77 of FIGURE 1;

3,344,613 Patented Oct. 3, 1967 part of transverse portion of a ship illustrating the manner in' which a number of the keel blocks are positioned for supporting the keel portion thereof.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the removable keel block is designated generally 12 and includes a bottom or base block or section 13, an upper or top section or block 14 and an intermediate block or section 15. Blocks 13, 14 and 15 are of approximately the same length and substantially the same width. The bottom block 13 has a top face 16 which slopes in one direction from end to end thereof, and the top block 14 has a bottom surface 17 which is inclined to the same extent from end to end thereof but in the opposite direction. The surface 16 is covered from end to end thereof by a metal plate 18 and the surface 17 is similarly covered by a metal plate 19. One end of the plate 18 forms a downturned extension 20 which bears against the wider end of the block 13, and the plate 19 has an upturned extension 21 which bears against the wider end of the block 14.

The intermediate block 15 is tapered from one end to the other end thereof and has a bottom surface 22 which is disposed above and substantially parallel to the surface 16 and plate 18, and a top surface 23 which is disposed beneath and substantially parallel to the surface 17 and its plate 19. Surfaces 22 and 23 and the two ends 24 and 25 are encased by a metal plate 26. The plates 18, 19 and 26 are preferably formed of steel to provide bearing surfaces as will hereinafter become apparent.

A roller assembly 27 is disposed between the bottom block 13 and the intermediate block 15 and a corresponding roller assembly 28 is disposed between the intermediate block 15 and the top block 14. Each roller assembly includes a plurality of rollers 29 and two elongated bars 30, as best seen in FIGURE 9. The rollers 29 have restricted stems projected from the ends thereof, which stems 31 are journaled in openings 32 of the bars 30. The bars 30 of the two roller assemblies straddle the blocks, as best seen in FIGURE 7, and the rollers 29 of the bottom roller assembly 27 rest on the plate 18 and a portion of the plate 26 covering the bottom surface 22 rests upon said rollers. Similarly, the rollers 29 of the upper assembly 28 rest on the part of the plate 26 covering the top surface 23 and the plate 19 rests upon said rollers.

The block 12, as illustrated, also includes two blocks 33 and 34. The lower block 34 thereof rests on the upper surface of the block 14, and the block 33 is superimposed thereon. Blocks 33 and 34 are of substantially the same length and width as the blocks 13, 14 and 15. However, the blocks 33 and 34 are substantially thinner than the blocks 13, 14 and 15 and are of uniform thickness throughout. Blocks 33 and 34 are utilized to make up the correct height of the keel block 12, and a greater or lesser number of said blocks may be employed.

As best seen in FIGURE 3, a bore 35 extends from end to end through the center of block 15. A bolt 36 extends through an opening 37 in a part of the plate covering the block end 24 and the head of said bolt is welded or otherwise secured as seen at 38 to the outer side of said portion of the plate. The bolt 36 extends more than half way through the length of the bore 36 and is of a diameter substantially less than the diameter of said bore. An internally threaded tube or sleeve 39 extends into the other end of the bore 35 through an opening 40 in the part of the strip 26 covering block end 25. The sleeve 39 threadedly engages on the bolt 36 and fits slidably and turnably in the bore 35. The sleeve 39 engages turnably in an opening 41 of a strongback 42 which is disposed in an upright position bearing against the plate ends 20 and 21, and said sleeve has a non-circular head 43 at its outer end which bears against the outer side of the strongback 42.

A number of the removable keel blocks 12 are positioned beneath the keel of a ship crosswise thereof and in spaced apart relation to one another, as illustrated diagrammatically in FIGURE 10, and a part of the keel or bottom 44 rests on the top block 33 of each keel block. Intermediate block 15 of each removable keel block 12 will be normally disposed as seen in FIGURE 1 when the keel block 12 is assisting in supporting a ship above the deck of graving or floating dry docks. As the work progresses along the bottom of the ship, each individual keel block 12 may be removed and thereafter replaced so that work can be accomplished on the part of the hull which had been resting on said keel block. Removal of each keel block 12 is accomplished by attaching a suitable power tool, not shown, to the head 43 for turning the sleeve 39 in a direction for unscrewing it from the bolt 36. Ordinarily, when this occurs, the block 15 will slide from right to left relative to the blocks 13 and 14, due to the antifriction support afforded by the roller assemblies 27 and 28, so that the blocks 14, 33 and 34 will be displaced downwardly to release the keel block 12 from contact with the hull 44, 50 that it can be removed. The keel block 12 is replaced and raised or extended by turning the sleeve 39 in the opposite direction by operation of said power tool, not shown, for drawing the intermediate block 15 from left to right back between the blocks 14 and 15 for raising the blocks 14, 33, and 34. The antifriction supports afforded by the roller assemblies 27 and 28 facilitate this movement of the intermediate block 15 for raising or extending the keel block.

It will be noted that the plate end 21 has an outwardly projecting abutment 45 which bears against the upper end of the strongback 42, that forces the strongback to descend with the block 14 as the block 15 is being withdrawn from between the blocks 13 and 14, to maintain proper alignment of the jackscrew 36, 39. It will thus be seen that the use of the removable keel blocks 12 eliminates the need for shifting a ship while it is being worked upon in graving or floating dry docks.

In order to overcome extreme friction and weight on the keel block 12, due to a deformed condition of the ships bottom, so that the block 15 cannot be moved by operation of the jackscrew 36, 39, as previously described, for lowering or raising the keel block, a portable fluid pressure actuated jack 46 is provided to augment the jackscrew and to function as a part of the keel block. The jack 46 includes an upper cylinder 47 and a lower cylinder 48 having expansible rams or pistons 49 and 50, respectively, projecting from corresponding ends thereof. The cylinder 47 has a depending flange 51 and the cylinder 48 has an upstanding flange 52. The flanges 51 and 52 are secured between the upper and lower edges of a pair of rigid plates 53 by fastenings 54, as best seen in FIGURE 6. Wheels 55 are journaled on the ends of two arch-shaped axles 56 which straddle the lower cylinder 48. The upper intermediate portion of each axle is secured in a sleeve 57 which extends through and is secured in plates 53. A drawbar 58 fits adjustably between the plates 53, between the flange 51 and the sleeves 57, and is provided with longitudinally spaced elongated openings 59 to selectively receive an elongated pin 60 which extends through registering openings in plates 53, each of which corresponds with any one of the openings 59, to adjustably connect the drawbar to the plates 53 to selectively locate its head 4 61, which is normally disposed between the rams 49 and 50, as seen in FIGURE 1.

The drawbar head 61 is bifurcated to straddle a bracket 62 which extends outwardly from the part of the strip 26 which is disposed over the block end 24. The bracket 62 may be secured in any conventional manner to said strip 26 and has flanges 63 at the ends thereof between which the drawbar head 61 fits, as seen in FIGURE 2. The bracket 62 is disposed to one side of the head of the bolt 36 and has openings which register with openings in the furcations of the head 61 to receive toggle pins 64, for detachably fastening the jack 46 to the end 24 of the block 15.

As seen in FIGURE 6, a conduit 65 has its ends communicating with the cylinders 47 and 48. A manually actuated valve 66 is interposed in the conduit 65, and a hose or supply conduit 67, which leads from a suitable source of fluid under pressure, connects with the conduit 65 through said valve 66.

When the block 15 will not move of its own accord from right to left of FIGURE 1 when the jackscrew 36, 39 is loosened, the fluid pressure actuated jack 46 is connected, as heretofore described, to the block 15, and as thus disposed, rams 49 and 50 abut the restricted ends of the blocks 13 and 14. Fluid pressure from the hose 67 is supplied simultaneously to both cylinders 47 and 48 by manipulation of the valve 66 to cause the rams 49 and 50 to be extended from left to right of FIGURE 1 relative to the cylinders 47 and 48. Since the rams are incapable of moving due to their abutting engagement with the blocks 13 and 14, the remainder of the jack 46 moves on its transport wheels 55 from right to left of FIGURE 1 for drawing the block 15 in the same direction for lowering the keel block.

End 25 of the block 15 has an apertured ear 68 which is fixed to and extends from the part of the strip 26 covering said end and which is laterally offset from the strongback 42, as seen in FIGURES 3 and 4. The drawbar 69 may be substituted for the drawbar 58. The drawbar 69 is identical with the drawbar 58 except that it has a narrow bifurcated head 70 which is attached to the apertured ear 68 by a toggle pin 71, so that the jack 46 can be utilized to assist in pulling the block 15 back between the blocks 13 and 14 or from left to right of FIGURES 1 and 5, for increasing the elevation of the keel block. This operation can be accomplished simultaneously with the operation of the jackscrew 36, 39.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may be resorted to without departing from the function or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claim.

We claim:

A removable keel block comprising a lower block, an upper block and an intermediate block, said blocks being elongated, said intermediate block having top and bottom surfaces converging from end to end of the block, said lower block and upper block having top and bottom surfaces, respectively, disposed in substantially parallel relation to the bottom and top surfaces, respectively, of the intermediate block, roller assemblies interposed between said blocks including rollers disposed transversely of the blocks and engaged by the adjacently disposed parallel block surfaces and journal members straddling portions of the blocks and in which said rollers are journaled and maintained in spaced apart substantially parallel relation to one another, and jack means engaging said blocks and operable for moving the intermediate block between the lower and upper blocks in a direction for raising the upper block, said jack means including a mobile frame, upper and lower fluid pressure actuated rams fixed to said frame in a position to abut simultaneously against corresponding ends of the lower and upper block, a drawbar secured to the frame between said rams, and means connecting the drawbar to an end of the intermediate block located between the ends of the lower and upper blocks engaged by said rams whereby when the rams are pressurized and extended the mobile frame will be propelled away from the ends of the blocks engaged by the rams for exerting a pull on the said end of the intermediate block.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 298,098 5/1884 Lang et a1. 61-66 6 1,350,844 8/ 1920 Sanchez 61-66 1,499,560 7/ 1924 Strangeland 254104 3,168,205 2/1965 Green 254-104 X FOREIGN PATENTS 3,681 11/ 1903 Great Britain.

356,275 9/1931 Great Britain.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

75 1 4 1904 Lemm 1 10 JACOB SHAPIRO, Examiner- 

